


One More Night

by thatonequeerwriter



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bad rapping, Humanstuck, Intervention, Old prompt meme, Other, Recovery, Swearing, post-college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-15
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-02-04 19:16:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1790206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonequeerwriter/pseuds/thatonequeerwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose's drinking has gotten 100% out of control and it's up to Kanaya, Dave and Karkat to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Night

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't get the owner of this prompt to put me as the author so I decided to put it on my roster. It's decent, but mostly I was just trying to get out of my creative slump. Enjoy!

Kanaya walked quietly over to her computer. She say down and opened her trollian. It had three messages. Not an unusually small or large amount. She started with the oldest first. It was from none other than Rose Lalonde, her intelligent, if not slightly intimidating, friend. She opened the message and her interest quickly turned to concern. She tried her best to read the words. 

TT: hai kanyanya! I was winderin if yoi migth watn to comme ofer for a drink or tow. 

Then a follow up 

TT: I sarted wigthout yuo... I hpoe that's okya. 

She was grotesquely drunk, yet again. This was the third time in only about a week. Kanaya's patience was quickly wearing thin. However, she was forced to put that issue on the back burner so that she could examine the other two messages.The first one was from her ever angrier and more explicit friend Karkat. 

CG: ROSE IS DRUNK OFF HER ASS AGAIN. IM SICK OF THIS SHIT. WE NEED TO FUCKING DO SOMETHING. I LITERALLY CAN NOT FUCKING STAND THIS ANYMORE. 

He was very right, this had honestly gone to far. It had compromised her relationships with everyone. Her mother, her friends, her love interests. It was degrading her quality if life! The last message, from about fifteen minutes before, was from the self-proclaimed cool kid, Dave Strider. 

TG: okay kanaya you know what? im really getting pissed at rose. her drunk ass needs to get it together or get some new goddamned friends. i could rap about this shit. no fucking joke man. 

Then there was another beneath it. 

TG: rose thinks shes so cool when she's boozin it up. got so much liquor in that house she cant get a big enough cup. her friends are fuckin sick of it so she better be nixin it before she gets to overloadin and on her bullshit well be overdosin cant control it that aint rollin she thinks shes prime but she gonna need more than herself this time. 

Again with the spontaneous rapping. Dave could be weird like that. Kanaya had no idea where he got his energy. But poorly written song or not, both of them spoke the truth. Rose needed help. And certainly not like "you should consider stopping this" but something more forceful. Perhaps the three of them, Kanaya, Karkat, and Dave, could help her. She went to her phone and called Dave. He answered on his head set, she could tell because she could still hear Halo in the background. 

"'Sup Kan" he was quite cordial as usual. 

"Dave, I received your message on my Trollian and I think it would be a good idea to stage an intervention with Rose." Dave took a second to respond, but after a few muttered curses about CPUs he spoke. 

"Kay, sounds good. When do you wanna do it?" His slight drawl made it weird to talk to him sometimes. He'd just moved to New York about six months beforehand. 

"Is tonight alright?" Kanaya really was excited to get this over with. She could finally rest easy knowing that she wouldn't get a call at three in the morning for her to be a designated driver ever again. She had to wait another minute before Dave responded, he was clearly into his game. 

"Okay sounds- oh HELL no you fucking noob- good to me" thank goodness! Now all she had to do was recruit Karkat. If he was as upset about this as she was, he would have no issues getting on board with them. 

"Excellent. I'm going to contact Karkat as well. He too expressed concern for Rose. 

"Sweet, yeah Kitkat can tag along too" Karkat would've slaughtered Dave had he have heard that. Kanaya stifled a giggle and saved it for later. 

"Alright, I'll see you around... Seven? At Rose's house?" 

"Yep okay gotta go- EAT SPARTAN LASER BITCH- see ya tonight bye!" And the reliever clicked. 

After a few more house tasks, Kanaya retrieved the phone from its jack once more and dialed Karkat's number. 

"Vantas". His voice was gruff and terse as always. 

"Hello Karkat, I wish to inquire as to if you'd care to join Dave and I on a mission to rid Rose of her chronic alcoholism. It's really starting to bother everyone, and seeing as you also mentioned your concern for her condition, I was thinking that the three of us could do it together tonight perhaps?" 

"Well that sounds very fucking fun and all but do you honestly think it will work? This wouldn't be the first time." His doubt was palpable. 

"She can't refuse three of her closest friends, even while heavily intoxicated." 

"Okay. What time?" 

"Around seven this evening" she heard him grunt something of an agreement before the line dropped. Excellent, this quickly drafted plan certainly looked great hypothetically, now all that was left was to actually try it. 

\-------------- 

Kanaya was ready to go by 6:30. She'd always believed in being punctual. She tossed her purse into her shiny green Corolla. She had read several tricks online on how to help addicts and curve alcohol dependency, so along with she had brought two bottles of mineral water, some mustard powder, and Tiger Balm. She wished Karkat's older brother Kankri could join them- he was quite versed in these sorts if matters as he'd followed in his fathers footsteps and become a respected member of the church- but he and her sister, Porrim, were both off and about somewhere on the west coast. 

She got into her car and drove the short mile or so to Rose's small mansion. Her mother had created and manufactured her own brand of pink wine. It had been a huge success. They now lived a very lavish lifestyle which certainly didn't help Rose's problem at all. 

Kanaya pulled up next to a lavender Dodge Charger, that would be Rose's. _Good, she's home _Kanaya thought.__

She got out of the car and noticed a beat up Honda and a pick up truck. Karkat and Dave must've beaten her. In that case, where were they? A sudden voice from behind her answered that. 

"Hey Kanaya!" Dave drawled right by her ear. It was enough to make her jump and nearly tear her favorite red skirt. 

"Dave! You nearly killed me! Please don't attempt anything like that again!" She started briskly off towards the posh home with Dave and presumably Karkat in tow. She stood tall on the "wipe your paws" door mat. Kanaya waited for Dave and Karkat to catch up and then grabbed the cat shaped door knocker. 

After a bit of pounding, she heard uneven footsteps behind the door. After some fumbling noises the door came open. The normally illustrious Mrs. Roxy Lalonde came into view. She swayed to the left and then fell against the door jam. There was some obviously pink wine on the lapel of her previously white blazer. 

"Why, Kanny dear! So good t-to see you again!" Then she broke into a fit of giggles permeated by hiccups. 

"Yes um, Mrs. Lalonde, may we speak with Rose?" She always got tense around Rose's mother when she was intoxicated, which was nearly always. 

"Why of course! I see you brought Dale and Katkat along with you!" And she flashed a dazzlingly white smile that would put the stars to shame. She shakily ushered them inside. Karkat walked past her but Dave made the mistake of trying to shake her hand. She pulled him into a very tight hug and he made a disgusted face. It was true, she smelled like a cheap liquor store. And not in a good way. 

After he freed himself of her grasp, they all walked up the grand staircase, ignoring Mrs. Lalonde's inquiries of whether or not they'd like a drink. 

They went up to the third floor, right side. And all the way back. Family photographs and cat themed memorabilia lined the corridor. They finally made it to the lavender French doors at the end of the hallway. Kanaya knocked twice but Karkat, in no way wanting to waste another of his precious seconds, cut in front of her and threw the doors open. 

Rose sat on her bed watching TV on the plasma screen mounted on the wall. She had at least twenty bottles of wine scattered across the room. The vast majority of which were, unfortunately, completely empty. She had one in her hand, not even bothering with the formalities of a glass. She stared at them with a curious look. Then a smile creeped up onto her round face, which was already rosy with intoxication. 

"Did yous guysh come to shee little old me?" She rolled over onto her back and looked at them upside down. She was slobbering drunk. Karkat looked disgusted and Dave kept a straight face. Rose had never been a graceful drunk. Her tongue lolled slightly out of her mouth and she wiped a small line of drool from her cheek. 

Kanaya walked over and set her bag on the floor. She gently removed the bottle from her hand and gave it to Dave. He in turn walked over to the window, slid it open and hurled the bottle out the window. Rose looked shocked and appalled. 

"Now WHAT in God's name wuss dat for?" She looked like a hurt child. None of them felt any regret. Kanaya removed a garbage bag from her purse and gave it to Karkat. He and Dave began to remove all alcohol related items from the room. Karkat muttered various curses under his breath and Dave just kept quiet. 

"Rose, dear" Kanaya sat down on the edge of her bed and put her hand on the small of Rose's back, "you have a problem. I saw Dave pull out three bottles of your mother's Lavender Vodka from underneath your bed." Rose remained thoroughly indignant. She sat up and looked at Kanaya. 

"I do NOT haff a prolbem thank you bery much! I just happen to ejoy da finer fings in leaf. Like vodka." She tried to sit up but promptly fell back over. 

"Rose, you can barely sit up! Count to five for me." Rose eyed Kanaya suspiciously then thought for a second. 

"Err okay... one, tow, f-four? No fife! Yeah. Shee I did it!" She smiled wryly and flopped around a bit. Kanaya rolled her eyes. 

"Rose, no. That is most certainly NOT how you count to five. Your blood alcohol level has far exceeded that which impairs your mental capacities. You are drunk, Rose. I've gathered Dave and Karkat so that we may help you remedy this mental ailment." Rose rolled away from Kanaya, falling off the bed in the process. She landed with a solid thump. 

Kanaya looked to Dave and Karkat who had a full bag of contraband at this point in time. Kanaya felt sick to her stomach, not just from the smell of pot puri and vodka, but also at the sight if her friend falling into such a state of disarray. It was horribly upsetting. 

She got up and shut the door to Rose's room. Her mother wouldn't be happy if she knew what they were up to. Kanaya helped Rose get up and sat her on the bed. 

"Hey Rose, how about you go take a nice hot bath. I'll help you in." Rose gave a confused nod and followed Kanaya out to their luxurious bathroom. She started the water in the jacuzzi sized tub. She helped Rose out of her shirt and skirt and left her to do the rest. Once she was wrapped in a robe, Kanaya helped her step into the tub, remove the robe and sit down. The bubbles consumed her and Rose smiled. From her pocket, Kanaya produced a small bottle of mustard powder. She'd read online that it helped with the detoxification. I.e, it would help her sober up much faster. She poured it into the tub and then for ready to leave. 

"This ish fun Kanaya!" She splashed around a little bit and giggled. Kanaya turned the water off and stepped out quietly. She walked back into the room. Dave and Karkat were done with the bottles. Kanaya looked around at the mess. She started picking up all of the dirty clothes off of the floor and then put them in the laundry chute. 

Then she started to make the bed. While she did she looked at the photos on Rose's tack board. Photos of her with various friends, she and John Egbert dressed up like wizards, her and her mother at some fancy party, a few fortunes from cookies and other momentos. All these things that Rose had to live for, and she was flushing it down the drain with a liquid product of anaerobic respiration. Not so appealing when you lay it all out... 

After the bed was beat and orderly, the floor was clean, and all the booze was gone, Kanaya went to check on Rose. She'd been in there long enough maybe an hour or so. She opened the door and let out a burst of steam. She saw Rose in the tub, she seemed to have passed out. 

Kanaya walked over to the tub and touched her shoulder. She stirred a bit then opened her eyes. She squinted and a then looked up as Kanaya. Her face was pale again and her eyes were no longer dilated. She must've built up a quicker sobering process from having been drunk so many times. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. 

"Kanaya, what are you doing here exactly? Why am I in the bath tub? I could keep listing questions but I'd rather not." Kanaya gave her a robe and helped her out of the tub. She sat down on the toilet seat and started to dry her hair with a towel. 

"Rose, listen, Dave and Karkat are in your room. We cleaned up in there, straightened things out, and now we need to talk to you, I mean seriously talk to you. Get dressed." Then she walked back into the bedroom. 

After about twenty more minutes, Rose came in. She had redone her makeup and dried her blonde hair. Her black headband was no longer askew and neither was her black skirt. 

"Rose! What's up?" Dave have a smirk in her general direction. Rose scrunched up her face and put her hands to her ears. 

"Hungover here! Shut up, thank you." She sat down in her bed and flopped over. "Listen, I understand you all want to do some Dr. Phil something or other but I really don't care. If much prefer to go on in my self satisfying vicious cycle of alcoholism." Kanaya was quite surprised with her concession if the situation. She already had step one done! 

"Well if you already know that you're fucking everything up then why don't you just give the shit up?" Karkat was clearly unimpressed. Rose rolled her eyes. 

"It isn't that simple, Karkat. While I understand that I have an issue, I enjoy drinking far to much! 

"Dude, there is a HUGE difference between enjoying drinking and being a drunk". Dave adjusted his shades and kicked back against a wall. What did he do when he wasn't being cool? 

"Well perhaps I just enjoy doing both! Why do you guys care? Honest to god! My own mother cares less..." Then Kanaya remembered something. She lifted Rose up and tried to make her face the wall behind her bed. 

"Look at that! Do you see that?" She gestured towards the tack board, "that is your life. That's everything you love right there. And do you understand what is happening to all of that?" She paused and Dave finished her sentence. 

"You're washing it down a huge ass drain with some nasty vodka." He dead panned. 

"Exactly. Rose, we care about you and we don't want to see you ruin your life. You've been with an alcoholic all your life but you don't have to become your mother." Rose took on an indignant look. 

"My mother is one of the most respected wine makers on the entire east coast!" She stood up, swayed a bit, and then found her footing, "do you know how hard it is to be such a highly regarded member of the wine making community? Do you think it is nothing but fancy tastings and luxurious parties?" She grabbed the tack board and threw it across the room. Kanaya stepped over to her. 

"Rose! Calm down. It is alright, we are only here to try and help. We care about you. We didn't mean to upset you." She looked at Dave and Karkat. Karkat's brow was furrowed and a graceless scowl had painted his pale face. He looked around defiantly. 

"Listen, I'm all for the love and fucking caring but you know what? I'm sick of this shit. Rose, I have had to drive you home from bars, pick up cab tabs for you, and bail you out to your own fucking mother. I'm done. If you don't give a shit about your life and the fact that you're wasting it, them neither do I." Then Karkat turned and stomped out of the room. Dave looked at him, then at Rose. 

"Kitkats right, dude. I gotta bail too. This is some messed up shit." He walked out calmly. Rose looked at Kanaya. Her eyes welled up with tears. 

"Kanaya am I really that bad?" She choked back a sob, "they're both right... I'm an awful person... I let everything simply slip away from me and it's cost me so much. John hasn't talked to me in months, I've lost all relations with my mother other than the fact that I live in the same house as her." They heard Karkat's car and Dave's truck pull out. Rose started sobbing even harder. 

"Rose, Rose please relax." She sent a text to both Dave and Karkat telling them to come back. There was no was that she could possibly manage this by herself. She sat down next to Rose and hugged her. Rose leaned into Kanaya and sobbed heavily. Kanaya had never seen such a pretty girl cry so harshly. She rocked gently until she heard footsteps down the hall. Dave peaked his head in first. 

"Has she calmed down yet? 'Cause I swear I will walk the hell out of here." 

"Dave, please don't be so insensitive. She is very vulnerable right now. If only your brother could be here, Karkat, he'd be an immense help." Rose sat up and sniffed. She wiped her face on the back of her hand and took a deep breath. 

"Okay you guys listen. I have a pounding headache. If you would be so kind as to allow me to go to sleep, then I would be much obliged to discuss this further." Then she rolled over and in the last seconds before she passed out she murmured "just one more night". 

Kanaya sighed and looked around at the other two. Karkat shrugged and Dave stood by. After an uncomfortable minute of wondering, Dave flopped down in a bean bag chair. 

"No reason to leave 'er here to fend for herself in the mornin' right?" After a moment, Karkat sat casually in a small chair. 

"Yeah, I guess that would be pretty fucking inconsiderate." Kanaya looked at Rose for another moment. Then she reached over and adjusted the blankets over Rose and sat down as well. 

She pulled her phone out after a few minutes and played sudoku for a while. Then she listened to some music for a while. Mostly Bach and Handel, but a few Vaccines songs were mixed in along with some My Chemical Romance. Welcome to the Black Parade came on and she noted the time, around eleven o'clock. She looked at Dave, why was asleep in the chair, then at Karkat who met her gaze. 

"What the hell are we going to do, Kanaya?" He shook his head and nodded towards Rose. 

"If I knew, I would be doing it, Karkat." Rose turned in her sleep and then the room settled into a fragile quiet.


End file.
